The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-07-17
origin OF Popular Phrases

GOWN on tn6 HpOf ntnCe, 10 over
coue, best, or surpass. Thus, we say
81 Aoored that fellow" !. O., | answer.
ed his every question, or successful y
met his every argument.
To Trumpet Ones Good Deeds
The allusion Is 10 one OF the Pharisaic
sect called the Almsgivers. who had a
trumpet sounded before them, osiensi.
bly, TO summon the poor together, but
In reality to publish abroad their abb
negstion aud benevolence.
Snooke-An exclamation OF in.
ere utility; q Mira. Harris. A peIs,n
tells an Incredible story and the list
ener cries Shocks CANNON; or be re-
plies, IL was enooks-the host Of the
Obaiesu dEspagne. The word
''snooks," according to DIR. Brewer, is
a corruption Of Noakss or Nokce, the
mythical party at one time employed
by lawyers to help them In actions Of
ejeclment.
Stolen Things Are Sweet.-A cop
Hlched from the dripping pan, fruit
procured by stealth, aud game illicitly
tskep, have the charm OF dexterily TO
make them the more palatable. Solo.
mon ssysi "stolen waters are sweet,
and bread eaten In secret lie, BY
stealth) 10 pleasant" An old rhyme
("Ristory Of Joseph") has II that
From busis cooks 70 love 10 steal q bit
Behind their backs, and that 10 corners eat /;
Nor need We here the reason WIZ entreati
All knou ne pfoVsrb' stolen bread i'
1
To Cosx.-"Cokes," In old English,
was q simpleton or q gull, probably
from the old French oocasss or cocoese,
imbt Gle. To coke or cox one 10 to
make cokes or fool Of him, by VIII, ed
ling or getting him into doing some
thing. The commonest. appellstion
OF the term cosx now IL, In the sense
Of urging persistently. ITO coar one,
Ia 10 urge one with persistence. 20
laNe one 10 do, or not 10 do a certain
thing.
A Lesding Question.-A question
which suggests an answer. In the
courts leading questions are questions
put by counsel TO witness IL such Q
way an 10 lead 10, or suggest, the an
swer desired. According to the rule,
of evidence Leading questions are not
allowed to DO put by the counsel who
calls" the witness. He must not SEX
for instance, "Dd he wear a black
coat7" "what color was bis coat 2
would be admissible. Leading Ques
tons are permitted In croas.eIsmins
ton.
Made Hin Kpuckle Under. tel
compelled him 10 submit;""I brought
him to time" The word "knucsle'
ancicntly meant any joint Of the body
and was commonly applied 10 tbs
knee. IL Ia now retained In this sens,
only In the phrase "a knuckle o
veal" Hence, TO "knuckle under
meant 10 kneel and crave pardon
knock under" Is merely q corup
contraction Of "knuckle under" Boil
phrases signify submission, and ar
stated by DIR. Johnson TO refer 10 tn
old cuttom Of striking the under cid,
Of The table with the knutkles In nd
mission Of having been beaten In Al
argument.
Straw berry One Of the eIplans
tious Of the origin OF tho word straw
berry" quite frequently given,is that
came from the custom oil sending thi
berries 10 market strung on stravs
The true significance OF the name
however, will be seen by going bacl
TO the old English 'slreow berie," o
siraying berry, from the "sireowap,
10 stray, referring 10 the straying hab
its Of the runners Of the plant. Lat
mer, In one OF his sermons, charact
erifes those clergymen who we're dis
poe,d TO spend their time away iron
their Aocks In pursuit OF pleasure, =
strawberry parson," or s,rayine par
, sons.
Have a Straw 10 Break with You
Il am displeased with you; | have
reproof TO give you. In feudal time
possession Of q fei In Engand va
conveyed by giving q straw TO the mes
tenant. II the tenant misconduct,
himself, the lord disposseseed him b
going 10 the threshold Of his door an,
breaking q straw, saying as he did &C
"Aa l breaE this straw, 30 break th
, contract bstween u.s." In allusion {
! this custom. II ia said In "Reynard Oh
Fot:" "The King toxic up q s,ra'
fro the ground, ard pardoped and iol
gulf the Foxe," on condition that Ia
Fox showed King Lion whore IN
, treasures were hid. A commo
7 equivalent TO II have q straw TO biea
; with You" Ia, ~ have q bone 10 pic
. with you," the origin OF which IL tbs
! AT the marriage bsnqueB Of th
0 slcillan poor the brides father, aii,
. the meal, used 10 hand the bhd'
D groom q bone, saying; "Piok III
. bone, for you have taken In hand
4 much harder task"
Tn Secretary Of State today n
csIyed q Telegram from the Unite
d States Minister at Honolulu, dated Il
d 9Th instant, saying that Affairs are qui
o In the country. Additional partic
!. | -. hv mall ara an oeCt0d In n In